Retrospect of French Literature—Miescellaneous. 
venture had occurred but yesterday, not- 
withstanding which it happened so early 
as the beginning of the year 1788. We 
were all at the table of one of our bre- 
thren of the Academy, a man of high 
rank, as well as a great wit. The com- 
pany which was numerous, consisted of 
persons of ail descriptions: magistrates, 
men of letters, academiciaus, &c. and the 
entertainment as ususi was most excellent, 
“* At the dessert, the wines of Malvoisie 
and Constantia added to the gaicty usual 
in such company -that sort of liberty, 
which had become fashionable: for the 
world had now arrived at such a pass, 
that every thing calculated to produce 
miurth was freely permitted. 
“© Chamfort had already read to us one 
of his tales, equally impious and liber- 
tine, and lac lies of hig zh rank had listened 
to him, without having once recourse to 
their fans. 
pleasantries relative to religion: one quo- 
ted a passage from ‘ La Pucelle,’ and 
another repeated the following philosophi- 
eal verses of Diderot*: 
¢ Et des boyaux du dernier prétre, 
Serrez le cou du dernier roi! 
«This was applauded. A third arose, 
and holding in his hand a bumper of wine, 
‘Yes, Messieurs! (exclaimed he) f am 
equally certain that there is no God, 
I am that Homer isa fool,’ and in den 
he was to the full as certain of the one as 
the other. ' 
«¢ The conversation now became more 
serious, and the revolution produced by 
Voltaire, which was said to constitute his 
principal title to glory, produced general 
admiration : ‘He has set He shion to 
the age, in which he lived (exclaimed se- 
veral), and is read in the anti-chamber, 
as well as in the saloon?’ 
“One of the guests told us, laughing 
aloud at the same time, that his ‘hair- 
dresser had said to him while powdering 
his curls, ‘ I beg leave to assure you, Sir, 
that although I am no better than a mic 
serable valet, yet J possess no more reli- 
gion than my neighbours.’ 
“ Tt was now concluded, that the great 
Revolution would not fail to be soon con- 
summated, and that it became absolutely 
necessary superstition and fanaticisip, 
should give place to philosophy; they 
‘* Dionysius Diderot was born at Langres, 
in 1723. On settling at Paris early in life, 
he soon obtained friends by his wit and talents, 
and also distinguished himself greatly as a 
man of letters. Having been imprisoned for 
six months at Vincennes, by the jealousy of an 
arbitrary government, without tial, and per- 
Next occurred -2 number of 
689 
even began to calculate the probability of 
the epoch, and which of the society then 
present, might live long enough to be+ 
hold the Age of Reason. ‘the oldest 
complained, that they could not flatter 
themselves with the hope; those who 
were sul! young, rejoiced ay the idea of 
having a prospect of beholding the event; 
and they congratulated the Academy 1n 
particular for having prepared the grand- 
work, and been the centre, the ‘head- 
quarters, and the primum mobile of the 
liberty of thought. . 
“Meanwhile, one of the guests had not 
participated in the joy diffused around 
by means of this conversation; nay he 
had slily uttered several pleagautries at 
our extraordinary enthusiasm. 
 Vhis proved to be Cazotte*, a man 
at once amiable and original, but unhap- 
pily infatuated with the reveries of the 
Illuminati. He now assumed a serious 
tone, and addressed himself to the come 
pany as follows : 
‘ Gentlemen (says he), rest satisfied ; 
for you will adl behold that grand and sub- 
lime revolution, which you are so desirous 
of. You know, that I have somewhat of 
the prophet inmy composition. I repeat 
to you again, that you will witness what 
you so ardently desire ” 
i ee 
haps also without a crime, he seized every op- 
portunity, to vent his rage against oppression. 
As one of the authors of the ** Encyclopé- 
die,’ he had an opportunity of disseminating 
his principles, and died in 1784, possessed of 
a bigh and exalted reputation. 
* He wasa man of letters, whoamong other 
productions, had written the ‘* Poeme d’Oii- 
vier,” the ** Diable Amoureux,” which is al- 
luded to, in the course of this pretended con- 
versation, &c. &c. 
He had been originally commissary-general 
of the French Windward Islands, and during 
the revolution appears to have resided at Pier- 
ry in Champagne, with his family, which was 
numerous. 
M. de la Harpe, knowing that he was ad- 
dicted to mysticism, and believed in the ri- 
diculous doctrines of the [/uminés, makes him 
appear, on this occasion, in the character of a 
prophet. 
Cazotte having been accused of repalism, 
was committed to the Abbaye at Paris, in 
August 1792, and.only escaped from the mas 
sacre of September, in consequence of the fi- 
lial piety of his daughter, then between six- 
teen and seventeen years of age. She threw 
her arms around his neck, covered his body 
with her own, and disputed for it as it were 
withthe horrid assassins, who, although steep- 
eg in blood, appeared on this occasion to have 
for once melted into pity. Mademoiselle Ca- 
zotte afterwards accompanied the old man, 
(for he was then 74 years of age) to ihe 
432 Concicrgeriey 
